Top 25 Minnesota high school baseball rankings (4/21/2024)

A new team takes the top spot

High School on SI's Minnesota top 25 rankings /

With a new week comes a new top 25 Minnesota high school baseball rankings from High School on SI.

Blaine takes the top spot. The Bengals are undefeated after wins over Centennial and Anoka last week.

Mounds View jumps to the second spot after a big defeat of No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall.

Top 25 Minnesota high school baseball rankings (4/21/2024)

1. Blaine (6-0)

Previous ranking: 5

This week’s games: April 22 at Roseville (1-5), April 24 at No. 10 Totino-Grace (5-2)

Ranking rationale: It took an extra inning for either team to find the scoreboard in Blaine’s 1-0 home win vs. Centennial (1-3). Nick Ulrich went all eight innings on the mound, spinning a three-hit, one-walk gem with five strikeouts. Wilson Guse and Carson Timm each had two hits. The bats heated up the next day in a 12-2 win at Coon Rapids (0-4). Guse and Timm had two-hit games once again along with Derek Scholmann, Sam Puder and Henry Semans.

The week concluded with a 4-1 win vs. Anoka (2-4) in which both teams went scoreless over the final five innings. Timm pitched five innings of one-run ball and helped his cause with two RBI. There’s a lot of parity in big school baseball this year.

Blaine may not be the best team when it’s all said and done, but a spotless record and quality wins make the Bengals deserving of the top spot. They’ve allowed just six runs all season and have two wins over current Power 25 foes.

2. Mounds View (5-1)

Previous ranking: 6

This week’s games: April 21 at No. 11 East Ridge (4-2), April 23 vs. Roseville (1-5), April 25 at Woodbury (3-3)

Ranking rationale: Mounds View won a battle of Suburban East Conference contenders, picking up a huge 11-7 victory at previous No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall (4-1). There was no letdown the next time out in a 10-2 home win vs. Irondale (0-5). Same goes for a 9-2 win at Forest Lake (3-2), which was highlighted by a four-hit day by Isaac Beseman.

3. Cretin-Derham Hall (4-1)

Previous ranking: 3

This week’s games: April 21 at Woodbury (3-3), April 23 vs. No. 7 White Bear Lake (4-1), April 25 at No. 20 Stillwater (3-3)

Ranking rationale: The Raiders are averaging 13.4 runs per game with their only loss coming to the current No. 2 team in the state. Cretin-Derham Hall’s offense is firing on all cylinders, but it couldn’t match Mounds View (5-1) to open last week with an 11-7 loss at home. C-DH is still undefeated on the road after it punished then-No. 9 East Ridge (4-2), 23-3.

John Henry Kohorst struck out six and allowed no earned runs in four innings. Davis Fleming got the party started with a grand slam in the first. He went 4-for-5 with two homers and nine RBI. His brother, Watson Fleming, went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBI. Next, the Raiders won 5-0 at Roseville (1-5).

4. Farmington (6-1)

Previous ranking: 7

This week’s games: April 21 vs. No. 25 Eagan (4-1), April 23 vs. No. 18 Shakopee (5-1), April 24 at No. 17 Prior Lake (4-2)

Ranking rationale: Farmington never trailed but needed a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out a 3-2 win vs. Rosemount (1-5). Marshall Gordon drew a bases loaded walk to bring the winning run in. Joe Baldus allowed one earned run and struck out seven over 4 ⅔ innings.

The Tigers won their third straight game of a 3-2 score at home over a then-undefeated Lakeville South (5-1) squad, which debuts in the Power 25 this week at No. 19. The Cougars were shut out over the last six innings. Gordon hit a home run and Brodie Gibart allowed one earned run over five innings.

5. Wayzata (3-1)

Previous ranking: 1

This week’s games: April 21 vs. Edina (3-2), April 23 at No. 6 Minnetonka (3-1), April 25 at No. 16 St. Michael-Albertville (3-0), April 26 at No. 24 Chaska (1-1)

Ranking rationale: Wayzata suffered one of the big upsets of the season, falling 8-3 at Robbinsdale Armstrong (1-2). While the Falcons were winless going into this one, they hung tight with a top-10 team, Totino-Grace (5-2), earlier this season and lost by one at a solid Anoka (2-4) squad.

The Trojans got back on a track at home in a 6-5 win in 10 innings vs. Eden Prairie (0-4). Adam Deselich desecrated the ball to the tune of two home runs. James Hansen also went yard while Elias Lech struck out eight in 4 ⅓ innings. An April 17 matchup vs. Chanhassen (2-1) was canceled due to poor weather.

6. Minnetonka (3-1)

Previous ranking: 2

This week’s games: April 21 at Eden Prairie (0-4), April 23 vs. No. 5 Wayzata (3-1), April 25 vs. No.24 Chaska (1-1), April 26 at Edina (3-2)

Ranking rationale: It was a tough week to be a top-10 team as the Skippers were one of several highly ranked teams to drop a game. They fell 4-3 at home to St. Michael-Albertville (3-0), which debuts this week at No. 16. Head coach Paul Twenge recorded his 1,000th career win in a 6-4 home result over preseason top-25 Moorhead (0-2). A five-run second inning made the difference. Jacob Musgjerd earned the win in four innings of relief.

7. White Bear Lake (4-1)

Previous ranking: 8

This week’s games: April 21 vs. Park of Cottage Grove (1-4), April 23 at No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall (4-1), April 25 vs. Irondale (0-5), April 26 vs. Rochester Mayo (4-2)

Ranking rationale: The Bears held on 1-0 at home in a pitchers’ duel against a preseason top 25 team, Woodbury (3-3). They did so despite being outhit 5-2. White Bear Lake’s awesome start was stalled briefly in a 7-6 loss vs. Forest Lake (3-2). WBL nearly came back from a late 7-0 deficit. The Bears got their bearings a couple days later in an 8-1 win at previous No. 11 Stillwater (3-3). 

8. Benilde-St. Margaret’s (5-0)

Previous ranking: 10

This week’s games: April 22 vs. No. 12 Waconia (2-1), April 24 at Bloomington Jefferson (0-4), April 25 vs. Delano (5-0)

Ranking rationale: It may not always be pretty, but the Red Knights are finding ways to win. They won an intra-city battle vs. St. Louis Park (1-2) 10-8 at home. Max Perkins’ two-run double broke an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. That was the cap of a 7-0 run to end the game. There was no struggle in an 11-2 win vs. Minneapolis Roosevelt (1-3). Luke Guggenberger racked up 10 strikeouts in five innings.

9. Rogers (4-2)

Previous ranking: N/R

This week’s games: April 21 vs. No. 16 St. Michael-Albertville (3-0), April 22 vs. Spring Lake Park (2-2), April 24 vs. Centennial (1-3)

Ranking rationale: Teams had come close to doing so, but Rogers was the first team to knock off defending Class 3A champion Totino-Grace (5-2). The Royals prevailed at home 5-4 against the previous No. 4 ranked team. Cullen Krueger went 3-for-4 and had the game-winning RBI.

Brandon Staff pitched five innings of two-run ball. Jackson Dooley got the win with two hitless innings. Rogers backed it up with an 8-5 win at previous No. 17 Chaska (1-1).

Jackson Dooley threw four innings and Drew Oldenburg threw three in a strong combined outing between the two. Weather postponed a matchup vs. Eden Prairie (0-4). Rogers has arguably played the toughest schedule in the state thus far with all games coming against teams who’ve spent time in the Power 25.

10. Totino-Grace (5-2)

Previous ranking: 4

This week’s games: April 22 vs. Osseo (2-2), April 24 vs. No. 1 Blaine (6-0), April 26 vs. Duluth East (2-5)

Ranking rationale: The Eagles doubled up Coon Rapids (0-4), winning 6-3 at home. The undefeated season came to a close in heartbreaking fashion the next day. Host Rogers (4-2), which debuts this week at No. 9, walked it off with a 5-4 win. T-G lost another close one, falling 4-3 at then-No. 20 Champlin Park (4-3) in eight innings in another walk-off.

11. East Ridge (4-2)

Previous ranking: 9

This week’s games: April 21 vs. No. 2 Mounds View (4-1), April 23 at Forest Lake (3-2), April 25 at Roseville (0-5)

Ranking rationale: The Raptors opened last week with a 10-1 win at Park of Cottage Grove (1-4). They next suffered one of their most lopsided results in program history, a 23-3 home loss to No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall (4-1). East Ridge got right with an 8-4 win at Irondale (0-5). Adrian Thompson starred against Irondale, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles.

12. Waconia (2-1)

Previous ranking: 13

This week’s games: April 22 at No. 8 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (5-0), April 24 at New Prague (0-3), April 26 at No. 17 Prior Lake (4-2)

Ranking rationale: The Wildcats picked up their first win of the season at home in a 5-3 result vs. Bloomington Jefferson (0-4). Brody Maass led with two hits. Luke Koschinka got the win in four scoreless innings of relief. Waconia got a win streak going with a 6-4 victory at an Eden Prairie (0-4) group that’s better than its record indicates.

The Wildcats battled back from a 4-1 deficit to tie it in the sixth and score the go-ahead runs in the seventh. Koschnika had three hits, while Culley Ohm, Ian McCrohan and Blake Dahl each had two. McCrohan homered. Matthew Mieras got the win with four innings of scoreless relief with no hits or walks allowed.

13. Two Rivers (5-1)

Previous ranking: 14

This week’s games: April 21 at Simley (3-2), April 23 at Hill-Murray (4-1), April 25 vs. St. Thomas Academy (2-2)

Ranking rationale: The Warriors scored a season high in a 16-6 win vs. South St. Paul (3-4). It was a 7-6 game until a nine-run bottom of the sixth inning. John Carlos Chino led with a 4-for-4 day with two doubles and two runs driven in. Cameron Afang and Patrick Karlen each had three hits and Raul Vaz allowed no earned runs over 5 ⅔ innings. Next was a 10-0 win vs. Hastings (1-5). Will Denenholz went 2-for-2 at the plate and got the win on the mound with nine strikeouts and three hits allowed in six innings.

14. Andover (5-1)

Previous ranking: 15

This week’s games: April 22 vs. Robbinsdale Armstrong (1-2), April 23 vs. Chanhassen (2-1), April 24 at Osseo (2-2), April 25 at Little Falls (4-1)

Ranking rationale: Andover picked up its first ranked victory of the season, winning 6-3 at home over previous No. 20 Champlin Park (4-3). Danny Scheller, Jaxon Knutson and Keaton Coe each had two hits. Scheller had a triple. Brett Buettner allowed three hits, three runs, three walks and struck out three in the win.

The Huskies played a part in keeping previous No. 21 Maple Grove (3-5) and Rochester Mayo (4-2) from appearing in this week’s ranking. They beat the Crimson on the road 6-4 and won 11-3 vs. the Spartans. Jaxon Knutson went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI against Maple Grove and had a double right away to set the tone against Mayo.

15. Mahtomedi (4-1)

Previous ranking: 18

This week’s games: April 21 vs. St. Thomas Academy (2-2), April 22 at Hill-Murray (4-1), April 23 at Tartan (0-5), April 25 vs. South St. Paul (3-4), April 26 vs. Hudson, Wisconsin (7-1)

Ranking rationale: Mahtomedi got off to a fast start last week with an 11-1 win at Hastings (1-5). Ethan Felling was a man on a mission, coming up a home run shy of the cycle with four hits and six RBI. Winston Wisely pitched a gem in the Zephyrs’ 3-0 win vs. Simley (3-2).

16. St. Michael-Albertville (3-0)

Previous ranking: N/R

This week’s games: April 21 at No. 9 Rogers (4-2), April 23 vs. Hopkins (2-3), April 25 vs. No. 5 Wayzata (3-1)

Ranking rationale: After winning four Lake Conference games in 2024, the Knights are already a win away from matching that total in 2025. Head coach Paul Schumm has his team humming with their latest victory the biggest. St. Michael-Albertville won 4-3 at previous No. 2 Minnetonka (3-1).

A two-run double by Ryan Kurth proved to be the game-winner in the top of the fifth. The Knights can keep climbing up the Power 25 by at least splitting one of a pair of top-10 matchups this week.

17. Prior Lake (4-2)

Previous ranking: 12

This week’s games: April 21 vs. Rosemount (1-5), April 23 at No. 19 Lakeville South (5-1), April 24 at No. 4 Farmington (6-1), April 26 at No. 12 Waconia (2-1)

Ranking rationale: Prior Lake drops again this week, in part to a 9-5 loss at home vs. a Lakeville North (1-5) team that struggled offensively entering the day.

The Lakers showed grit to put up a fight after trailing 9-0, but it was too little too late. They bounced back with a 10-0 win at Eastview (1-5). Jaeger Solis homered and Ben Snider and Zach Johnson teamed up for the shutout.

Ryan Block had three hits. Dominant pitching continued with a 7-0 win at Burnsville (1-5). Colten Gunderson struck out eight in five innings and Solis went yard again. That was the staff’s third shutout of the season. Prior Lake gets the nod for the No. 18 spot ahead of Shakopee due to a head-to-head win.

18. Shakopee (5-1)

Previous ranking: 25

This week’s games: April 21 at No. 19 Lakeville South (5-1), April 23 at No. 4 Farmington (6-1), April 24 vs. No. 25 Eagan (4-1)

Ranking rationale: The Sabers ran it up in an 11-1 home win over Eastview (1-5). Next was an 8-0 win vs. Burnsville (1-5) where Nick Johnson pitched five innings and Landon Heller pitched two in a combined no-hitter.

A five-run fifth inning broke it open. Kaden Olson went 3-for-4. Shakopee continued to do what it’s supposed to against the bottom half of the conference, winning 7-5 at Rosemount (1-5). Johnson showed his skills at the plate with a 2-for-4 day with a homer. He also went 2-for-4 with two RBI against Eastview. 

19. Lakeville South (5-1)

Previous ranking: N/R

This week’s games: April 21 vs. No. 18 Shakopee (5-1), April 22 at No. 25 Eagan (4-1), April 23 vs. No. 17 Prior Lake (4-2) at St. Patrick

Ranking rationale: The Cougars improved to 4-0 with a 6-1 win vs. Apple Valley (1-4). Kash Bodden went 3-for-3 with three RBI and Ryan Van Putten got the win in four innings of work with four strikeouts. Lakeville South has done well against the bottom half of the South Suburban Conference. It was defeated by an upper tier opponent, falling 3-2 at current No. 4 Farmington (6-1). Jonathan Harvey struck out nine batters and allowed two earned runs in 5 ⅓ innings.

South had the opportunity to play its crosstown rival, Lakeville North (1-5) at Target Field following the Twins’ win over the Mets on April 16. The Cougars would have loved to have more time playing on a big league field, but they’ll gladly take the quick 10-0, six-inning victory.

A seven-run sixth broke the game open. Carson Walker pitched a complete game three-hitter with nine strikeouts. Gaven Dean went 4-for-4. Bodden, Aiden Connelly and Coltin Smith each added two hits.

20. Stillwater (3-3)

Previous ranking: 11

This week’s games: April 21 vs. Forest Lake (3-2), April 23 at Park of Cottage Grove (1-4), April 25 vs. No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall (4-1)

Ranking rationale: The Ponies ended a two-game skid with an 11-4 home win vs. Roseville (1-5). Stillwater kept the momentum going with a 7-0 win at a preseason top-25 team, Woodbury (3-3). Four runs in the first inning made it smooth sailing. A.J. Levy went 3-for-4 with a home run. The week ended on a down note as the Ponies fell 8-1 at home against White Bear Lake (4-1), which moved up a spot this week to No. 7.

21. Mankato West (4-0)

Previous ranking: N/R

This week’s games: April 21 vs. Rochester John Marshall (3-3), April 22 vs. Albert Lea (3-1), April 24 at Red Wing (5-1)

Ranking rationale: A Mankato team is back in the Power 25, but not the one you might expect. After Mankato East dropped out last week, Mankato West enters the fold after an undefeated start. The Scarlets are outscoring opponents 37-9 and have won every game by five or more. They own two shutouts, as well as a 12-4 win vs. a Rochester Mayo (4-2) squad that beat current top-five squad, Farmington (6-1).

Head coach Marshall Miller has his team rolling once again after going 20-5 in 2024. West’s most recent outing was a 5-0 win at St. Peter in which Mason Schreiber doubled twice and drove in three runs, while Ben Hoehn allowed one hit and struck out seven in four innings.

22. Champlin Park (4-3)

Previous ranking: 20

This week’s games: April 21 at River Falls, Wisconsin (5-0), April 22 at Centennial (1-3), April 24 vs. Elk River (2-3), April 25 vs. East Grand Forks (5-0)

Ranking rationale: Champlin Park hangs onto a spot in the Power 25 thanks largely to a 4-3 win last week vs. Totino-Grace (5-2), which was ranked No. 4 at the time. Donovan Vendel supplied the walk-off single in the eighth inning. Unfortunately for the Rebels, the win was sandwiched by a 6-3 loss at No. 14 Andover (5-1) and 7-2 loss at Chanhassen (2-1).

23. Perham (4-0)

Previous ranking: 23

This week’s games: April 22 doubleheader vs. Staples-Motley (3-2), April 25 at Detroit Lakes (1-3)

Ranking rationale: The Yellowjackets swept Hawley (1-2) in a home doubleheader, winning 13-0 in five innings in the opener and 4-2 in the night cap. In game one, Drew Ellingson homered and pitched four innings of one-hit ball with 12 strikeouts.Gavin Griffin added a double and triple.

Joey Ecker got the win in 3 ⅔ innings of work in game two, allowing no runs and two hits. Ellingson led the offense going 2-for-3 with a double.

24. Chaska (1-1)

Previous ranking: 17

This week’s games: April 22 vs. Chanhassen (2-1), April 24 at St. Louis Park (1-2), April 25 at No. 6 Minnetonka (3-1), April 26 vs. No. 5 Wayzata (3-1)

Ranking rationale: The Hawks were downed in 8-5 vs. new No. 9 Rogers (4-2) in their only game last week. Owen Strey went 3-for-3 and was a triple shy of the cycle. An April 14 game at Minnetonka and an April 17 game at New Prague (0-3) were postponed.

25. Eagan (4-1)

Previous ranking: N/R

This week’s games: April 21 at No. 4 Farmington (6-1), April 22 vs. No. 19 Lakeville South (5-1), April 23 vs. Apple Valley (1-4), April 24 at No. 18 Shakopee (5-1)

Ranking rationale: Eagan is a run away from being undefeated. After a disappointing 7-6 loss to Eastview (1-5) a couple weeks ago, the Wildcats bounced back with a strong week. They drubbed Burnsville (1-5) 13-3 and won a 1-0 pitchers’ duel at Rosemount (1-5). Brody Illa had a triple against the Blaze. The Irish were held to two hits. Eagan’s resume is also bolstered by an opening day win vs. preseason top-10 squad, Prior Lake (4-2).

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